Latin America and the world order

Efforts to achieve a more equitable insertion into the international system since 1870

Essay , 2003 , 19 Pages , Grade: Honours

Politics - Region: Middle and South America

More than 510 years after the conquest of Latin America, critical opinions are still voiced with regard to the quality of the subcontinent’s insertion into the international system: “When one begins to see the multiple business connections and interests, it is difficult to avoid concluding that the Plan Puebla Panama (PPP) is more about energy and resource extraction than it is about development”. Arguments along the lines of this PPP critique have been frequently mentioned when discussing topics such as declining terms of trade for raw materials, the unequal access to the world markets, exploitative practices of labour-intense industries, socially detrimental impositions of structural adjustment measures, the increasing hegemony of the United States (US) over Latin America through new free-trade arrangements or projects such as Plan Colombia, and many more.
The purpose of this paper is to look beyond plain accusations by assessing the international arena Latin America found itself in since 1870 as well as the efforts made by Latin America to achieve a more equitable insertion into it. Taking into consideration the complexity of the topic, I will only broadly outline earlier attempts while focussing on efforts taken after the Great Depression of 1929. The essay will be organised in four main sections covering the three major phases plus a conclusions section: Primary commodity exports (PCE), import substitution industrialisation (ISI), neo-liberalism (NL), and the conclusions section which will also cover Latin America’s prospects. The important aspect of regionalism will be split into “old regionalism”, which will be covered in the ISI section, and “new regionalism”, which falls into the phase of neo-liberalism.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Primary commodity exports (PCE)
• Import substitution industrialisation (ISI)
• The “old regionalism”
• Neo-liberalism (NL)
• Conclusions

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines the efforts of Latin America to achieve a more equitable position within the international system since 1870. It evaluates the success of these efforts and explores the underlying factors that have shaped their outcomes.

• The historical evolution of Latin America's insertion into the international system, with a particular focus on the post-1929 period.
• The impact of primary commodity exports (PCE), import substitution industrialization (ISI), and neo-liberalism on Latin American economies.
• The role of regionalism, both "old" and "new," in Latin American development strategies.
• The persistence of inequality and the challenges of achieving equitable development.
• The prospects for Latin America's future role in the international system.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Primary commodity exports (PCE)

The early period (1870-1930) was characterized by Latin America's heavy reliance on exporting raw materials. While this brought some economic gains, the model had significant drawbacks: it reinforced existing inequalities, left Latin America vulnerable to price fluctuations, and failed to foster local economic development. The case of Bolivia's dependence on tin illustrates these problems.

Import substitution industrialisation (ISI)

The ISI era (1930-1980) marked a shift toward industrialization behind protectionist barriers, fueled by foreign borrowing and agricultural income. This period saw the emergence of national identity, the establishment of institutions, and a greater role for the state. However, the ISI model also faced challenges, including a lack of diversification, inefficient use of resources, and the emergence of uncompetitive products.

Neo-liberalism (NL)

This section will explore the neo-liberal era and its impact on Latin America.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper focuses on the international political economy of Latin America, exploring themes of dependency, regionalism, development, trade, and inequality. Key concepts include primary commodity exports, import substitution industrialization, neo-liberalism, and structuralist economic theory.

• College: Dublin City University
• Grade: Honours
• Author: Iris Schoenauer-Alvaro (Author)
• Publication Year: 2003
• Pages: 19
• Catalog Number: V112835
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640124541
• ISBN (Book): 9783640124992
• Language: English
• Tags: Latin, America